Salary Packaging
As part of your employment with NSW Health, you have the opportunity to participate in a salary packaging program that can potentially offer you valuable financial benefits. The program is managed by SalaryPackagingPLUS, the provider specifically chosen for NSW Health employees.
What expenses can you salary package?
As a NSW Health employee you can claim $9,009 of General Living expenses (like car, mortgage, rent and credit card payments) from your employer, plus $2,650 worth of Meal Entertainment (restaurant meals and home catering expenses). This means up to $11,659 in salary can be paid to you tax-free every year.
You may also be eligible for additional tax free payments if you take out a novated lease on your family car.
Benefits of salary packaging
- More take home pay - By reducing your taxable income, you pay less income tax, and potentially increase your take-home pay.
- Uses expenses you already pay - Mortgage, rent, credit card payments, and restaurant meals can all be salary packaged. You may even be eligible to package remote area housing expenses or relocation costs.
- Most of your colleagues do it - Over 75% of Australian public health service employees are salary packaging.
- Improved lifestyle - New vehicles, catered celebrations, and restaurant meals become more affordable when salary packaged.
- It’s fast and easy to apply - Applying for salary packaging takes less than 2 minutes
Why is salary packaging available to you?
Special salary packaging concessions are available to employers in the health, charity and not-for-profit industries, aimed at lowering remuneration costs and increasing remuneration outcomes for workers in these sectors.
Salary packaging is endorsed by the Australian Tax Office (ATO) and is used by thousands of NSW Health employees to optimise their income
How much tax can you save by salary packaging?
Estimating your salary packaging savings is simple. Packaged salary amounts are paid to you tax-free, so you save the tax you would otherwise have paid on the amount claimed.
Note: Savings can be impacted if you have a student loan debt, receive Centrelink benefits. Speak to SalaryPackagingPLUS to understand how your savings will be affected.
Things to consider before salary packaging
Share of savings
Tax savings from salary packaging as a NSW Health employee are shared between the employee and NSW Health (the employer). In most cases the tax savings are split equally (50/50), however separate arrangements exist for eligible HSU Award employees. The current practice was established in 2002, when a shared arrangement of tax savings between NSW Health and its employees was agreed, as part of negotiations with unions, to assist in funding a wage increase.
Student loans
If you have student loan debt (STSL or HECS) you can still enjoy tax savings by salary packaging. These savings can increase your take-home pay and be used to pay off your debt faster.
Casual workers
If you are a casual worker, you are eligible for salary packaging. Contact SalaryPackagingPLUS to check your suitability.
Centrelink payments
If you receive Centrelink payments and plan to salary package, it may affect your entitlements. Please contact Centrelink before proceeding with salary packaging.
How much does salary packaging cost?
The new fee structure effective from 1 April 2023 will be as follows:
- For one salary packaging benefit item the fee is $23.50 per annum
- For two or more salary packaging benefit items the fee is $33.50 per annum
One benefit item:
- Your mortgage repayment reimbursement up to the maximum salary packageable amount.
- Your fees will be $23.50 each year.
Two benefit items:
- Your rental payment reimbursement up to the maximum salary packageable amount;
- Your submission of meal entertainment receipts to claim further tax savings.
- Your fees will be $33.50 each year.
Three benefit items:
- Your mortgage repayment reimbursement up to the maximum salary packageable amount;
- Your submission of meal entertainment receipts to claim further tax savings;
- You include a novated lease to further increase your tax savings.
- Your fees will be $33.50 each year.
Meal Entertainment
This benefit enables you to use pre-tax income to pay for restaurant meals, or the cost of catering a get-together at home.
As a NSW Health employee you can salary package up to $2,650 worth of Meal Entertainment expenses each year including:
- Restaurant or cafe meals eaten with your friends or family.
- Professional catering costs for private functions (e.g. weddings or 21st birthdays)
- Home catering expenses including the purchase of food and drink for a self catered party or holiday celebration.
- Food and drink you consume on holiday (including overseas).
Novated Leasing
Novated leasing allows you to salary package the cost of owning and operating your motor vehicle and has several benefits over traditional forms of vehicle financing including:
- You pay less for the vehicle —there’s no GST payable on the purchase price or running costs
- You can receive fleet discounts on the purchase price and servicing costs
- Convenience —one all-inclusive payment covers your finance, registration, insurance, fuel, servicing and tyre costs.
- Significant income tax savings
- A novated lease can be taken in addition to your other salary packaging.
How to apply for a novated lease
To discuss your novated leasing options contact one of the NSW Health approved leasing companies directly:
Electric Vehicles - save even more tax
Thanks to the government’s new Electric Vehicle Discount Bill there are additional savings to be enjoyed if you make your next car electric under a novated lease. For further information on electric vehicles speak to the approved leasing companies.
MySalPack App
The MySalPack App enables you to manage your salary packaging arrangements quickly and conveniently with a smart phone. You can check your balances, submit claims, apply for further benefits, and more.
Download MySalPack for iPhone
Download MySalPack for Android
Download MySalPack for iPhone
Download MySalPack for Android
Contact SalaryPackagingPLUS
We are here to support you throughout the salary packaging process and help you optimise your income.
Call SalaryPackagingPLUS on 1300 402 523
Monday - Friday 8am - 6pm
Email: [email protected]
Call SalaryPackagingPLUS on 1300 402 523
Monday - Friday 8am - 6pm
Email: [email protected]